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Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Arbitrator: Brutal Cop Deserves One Last Chance

Grady Cunningham on the range
Though Fountain Hill's Borough Council voted unanimously to file a police officer who used excessive force, and then lied about it, arbitrator Steven N. Wolf has ordered Officer Grady Cunningham, Jr. reinstated. Why? Did he find that Grady's use of force was appropriate? Did he conclude there was no lying? Did he exonerate Grady? In a word, No. But he gave him his job back.

Pursuant to a Right-to-Know request, I obtained the 18-page decision. Wolf conducted three days of hearings and four "study" days, all at $1,800 per day. His total bill comes out to $12,600, half paid by the police union and half by the Borough.

In this decision, Wold concludes that Officer Cunningham did use excessive force. He founfd that he was deceptive in failing to report the incident, and violated policy in entering a holding cell with his firearm. Though Cunningham played the race card, the arbitrator found no evidence of racism. But because it has been his "lifetime goal" to pursue police work, the arbitrator thought he'd give him one last chance to do so. He loses no seniority, either.




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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 27, 2013 at 12:48 AM

    police are supposed to protect the public.
    He is a violent idiot, but, "he really wants to be a cop".
    fire wolf too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kevin CerinoAugust 27, 2013 at 7:50 AM

    When I originally heard this story, I felt sorry for Fountain Hill. I don't feel that way anymore now that I am aware that this guy had such an extensive record before he was hired. Either the borough didn't do its homework in vetting this guy or hired him aware of his background. Either way, Fountain Hill taxpayers should be raising hell at the next Council meeting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousAugust 27, 2013 at 9:46 AM

    I will travel back and forth to Bethlehem via Hamilton and Broad St. I'll avoid Fountain Hill
    I will miss stopping at the WAWA and the other places I often did business. I do not under any circumstances want to run into this disturbed man who has been empowered with a gun and a badge. Very very scary.
    An accident waiting to happen. A legal thug.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousAugust 27, 2013 at 9:49 AM

    The arbitrator needs to be fired, too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousAugust 27, 2013 at 10:24 AM

    Bernie, its bad enough I have to sift through your articles to avoid the ones about this Gregory idiot. So could you please proofread your freudian slips better in your otherwise great articles.

    You referred to Grady as Gregory once or twice in this article.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bernie O'HareAugust 27, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    I did refer to Grady as Gregory once. It probably was a Freudian slip.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousNovember 8, 2013 at 9:51 AM

    Fountain Hill Police officer Grady Cunningham has been suspended with pay again

    ReplyDelete

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